Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

The books! Over seven hundred of them and still counting...
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Courtenay
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Courtenay »

I was thinking of The Little Shop of Horrors. But probably a nod to Day of the Triffids as well. :mrgreen:
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by IceMaiden »

I can't believe these awful abominations are still going! :shock: How have they not been pulled up on this, which is in my mind, gross misuse of someone's name, by plastering it all over something which gives the impression they wrote it. You would not get away with that with anybody else, how long would a spoof Macbeth book last, or The Tempest, Othello, R&J if someone were to write one then stick Shakespeare's name/trademark on it to make it look like he wrote it? Or Beatrix Potter? Imagine someone wrote a book called 'Two Bad Mice Get Badder' or 'Jemma Puddle-Duck Becomes Dinner and Pillow Stuffing', signed with the famous Peter Rabbit BP trademark so it appears BP wrote them? They'd be stopped instantly and I really don't understand why these EB ones are any different, especially in this day and age when you can be practically sued at the drop of a hat for the slightest thing. Surely Enid would still have family members/relations who wouldn't just stand by and watch as their relative's good name gets besnirched, tarnished, disrespected and used against their wishes simply because their no longer around to defend themselves? Since when does being dead means it's suddenly open season on your name? Those publishing these things ought to be ashamed of themselves, they are effectively dancing on someone's grave :evil: :evil: :evil:.
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Courtenay
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Courtenay »

IceMaiden wrote:I can't believe these awful abominations are still going! :shock: How have they not been pulled up on this, which is in my mind, gross misuse of someone's name, by plastering it all over something which gives the impression they wrote it.
Because (as we've noted multiple times) they are being published by a company owned by Hachette, which owns Enid's trademark signature, so they have the legal right to use it on whatever books or products they want to. It's sick, yes, but there's no way around it. :evil:
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by IceMaiden »

Maybe they do own her trademark signature and can put it on whatever they want, but surely they should also have on them either *disclaimer:NOT written by Enid Blyton* clearly at the bottom or the actual person who wrote them down as the author in clear print as well. Yes if they must, put EB's trademark at the top, but somewhere on the front cover it should also be stated they are not actually by her or her work in any way, shape or form. If you buy an autobiography type book about someone and it's not them who wrote it, they have to state this on the front cover with a 'written by so and so', otherwise they'd be leaving themselves open to hassle and earache from people complaining they'd been duped into buying a book claiming to be by their favourite singer/TV personality/filmstar, when it was somebody else who they've no interest in writing it and simply putting the person's name on the front to attract the buyers. Someone buying a book with Enid Blyton's name on it is going to think and expect it is by Enid Blyton. If it's not it should clearly say so or have a disclaimer as anything else would have to have.
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Not sophisticated, I'm the sweet and simple kind
I want an old fashioned house, with an old fashioned fence
And A̶n̶ ̶o̶l̶d̶ ̶f̶a̶s̶h̶i̶o̶n̶e̶d̶ ̶m̶i̶l̶l̶i̶o̶n̶a̶i̶r̶e̶
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Wolfgang »

Well, today arrived "Five give up the booze" and "Five go parenting". When I'll read them (or try to) is a complete different story.
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Fiona1986 »

My manager at work got given Five on Brexit Island for Christmas and said she quite enjoyed it, she thought it was very funny.
"It's the ash! It's falling!" yelled Julian, almost startling Dick out of his wits...
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Spitfire »

Wolfgang wrote:Well, today arrived "Five give up the booze" and "Five go parenting". When I'll read them (or try to) is a complete different story.
Let us know what you think if and when you get round to them! :)
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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Yes - let us know what you think, Wolfgang!

I finished reading Five Go Gluten Free last night and found it just as joyless as the other books. There's really not much to say about it although I did smile once or twice - e.g. at a remark by Julian in Chapter 3 when the Five visit a complementary health therapist: "Well, if it's truly complimentary, they won't be expecting a fee!" Otherwise, despite the title, it was like wading through a glutinous (or glutenous!) substance sprinkled with macadamia nuts, acai berries and quinoa. When the ending finally came it was so abrupt that I turned the page expecting more text, only to be met by an expanse of white!

I've now read all five books in the first batch of these adult Famous Fives and I don't intend to read any further titles. I'm not against spoofs and I enjoyed the Comic Strip's Five Go Mad in Dorset as it sparkles with humour, pays homage to Enid Blyton's originals and demonstrates affection for them. Bruno Vincent's books have little meaningful connection with the originals and I'm afraid they feel stodgy and strained to me, rather than light and playful.
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by sixret »

Did you borrow the books from the library, Anita?
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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

No - I borrowed them from a friend.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Rob Houghton »

Just seen some adult FF books for sale on ebay...

...should anyone want them...

They are £11.99 each and £4.05 delivery!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Five-Go-On-A- ... Sw-0xYhzLq

Still, I suppose soon they'll be on offer for £700
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Courtenay
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Courtenay »

Anita Bensoussane wrote:Otherwise, despite the title, it was like wading through a glutinous (or glutenous!) substance sprinkled with macadamia nuts, acai berries and quinoa.
Hey, don't knock the macadamia nuts. They deserve better than to be stuck in a terminally boring book like that. 8) :wink:
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by pete9012S »

Although there are plenty of negative reviews on amazon from others about the one I bought by mistake via amazon one-click,I noticed I was getting some negative replies of my review from other amazon members.

Many had not even purchased the book.

I notice amazon has now deleted many of them without me even replying or complaining about them being unacceptable or whatever their terminology is.

My main thrust is that the book was bought by mistake,it isn't very funny or well written and buyers would be far better off spending their hard earned money on an Enid Blyton book with her name on it that she had actually written herself..
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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

I didn't realise that Amazon deleted reviews or comments. Of course, I accept that anything abusive or obscene would have to be removed - though I wouldn't have thought your review would have provoked comments of that nature, Pete! :?
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.


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Re: Famous Five 'Adult' Books!

Post by pete9012S »

To be fair,the more aggressive comments suggested that I didn't possess much of a 'sense of humour' which I'm sure many would readily agree with.. :D

I didn't know amazon deleted comments either till now.I think it was because some were a bit inflammatory and personal and I didn't respond in kind or aggressively back to anyone.

Somebody,somewhere at amazon must review and moderate what is posted.
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